By way of background, standard bed sheets comprise a fitted sheet and a flat sheet. The fitted sheet is sewn together in such a matter to form a generally rectangular pocket for surrounding a mattress, while the flat sheet is a flat section of fabric which is separate from the fitted sheet. The fitted sheet has elastic bands sewn into top and bottom edges of the sheet to enable the fitted sheet to remain secured to the mattress. To secure the flat sheet to the mattress, the flat sheet must be partially tucked beneath a lower end of the mattress and along a small portion of both sides of the mattress. The flat sheet is wider than the fitted sheet and is typically centered with respect to the mattress such that the flat sheet will overlap the fitted sheet by an equal amount on both sides of the mattress.
When a bed is positioned against a wall of a bedroom, it is often inconvenient to place sheets on a mattress on the bed without moving the bed away from the wall. Although it is possible to place the fitted sheet on the mattress without moving the bed, the flat sheet cannot be easily tucked under the side of the mattress adjacent the wall without moving the bed. Further, because the flat sheet includes a portion which overlaps the fitted sheet adjacent the wall, this portion must be allowed to drape between the mattress and the wall making it difficult to properly place the flat sheet on the mattress without moving the bed. For heavier beds, such as bunk beds, moving the bed can be a difficult chore.
The prior art discloses various improvements to bed sheets to make the sheets easier to place on a mattress. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,854 to Pardee discloses a bed sheet including a fitted sheet for covering a mattress and a flat sheet joined to the fitted sheet along a bottom edge of the fitted sheet and along a small portion of each side edge of the fitted sheet adjacent the bottom edge. The flat sheet is wider than the fitted sheet and overlaps the fitted sheet by an equal amount on both sides of the mattress. By placing the fitted sheet on the mattress, the flat sheet will necessarily be secured to the mattress and will be automatically positioned with respect to the mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,044 to Bogle also discloses a bed sheet including a flat sheet joined to a fitted sheet. The flat sheet is permanently joined to the fitted sheet along one side edge of the flat sheet. The opposing side edge and bottom edge of the flat sheet are secured to the fitted sheet by a zipper or other closure device. The flat sheet is joined to the fitted sheet adjacent the top surface of the mattress such that the flat sheet is tightly pinned to the mattress providing little room for a person to move beneath the flat sheet.
The prior art does not disclose a bed sheet adapted for use on a bed which is positioned against a wall. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose a bed sheet which can be easily installed on a mattress without moving the mattress away from a wall, which maintains the appearance of a standard bed sheet, and which is as comfortable to use as a standard bed sheet.